Mine conveyer



March 3, 1953 J, F, my 2,630,207

MINE CONVEYER l F'led March 24", 1951 :7me/v I.' Toy Patented Mar. 3,1953 MINE CONVEYER Joseph F. Joy, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to JoyManufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication March 24, 1951, Serial No. 217,333

17 Claims. 1

traction or similar work. In known types of face conveyors the conveyorflights are pivotally connected to the endless conveyor chain on pivotalaxes extending parallel to the path of travel of the chain and are soarranged and constructed that the flights may swing up into verticalfolded positions along the return run of the chain in an extremelycompact manner. Such pivoted conveyor flights are, however, relativelycomplicated and expensive in construction and create undesirable wear,ofttirnes necessitating frequent r replacement of parts. The presentinvention contemplates improvements over such known types of conveyorsin that not only is extreme lateral compactness obtained but also allloose pivotal connections between the conveyor flights and the conveyorchain are eliminated, resulting in sirnplicity of construction. Theconveyor, in accordance with the present invention, has a guide- Way forthe conveyor chain arranged and constructed in a novel manner wherebythe active ights of the conveyor move horizontally along a bottom frameclose to the mine floor and the active flights at the return run of thechain are disposed vertically thereby resulting in extreme lateralcomp-actness while the desired simplicity in construction is attained.The conveyor of the present invention is relatively rugged and durablein design, well adapted for its intended purpose.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mineconveyor. Another object is to provide an improved endless, flight typeface conveyor especially designed for use in underground coal mines. Afurther object is to provide an improved conveyor of the endless chain,lateral flight type having an improved guiding frame structure wherebythe guideways for the conveyor chain are arranged in a novel manner toobtain extreme lateral compactness. A still further object is to providean improved conveyor frame having longitudinal frame portions arrangedin right angular relation with respect to a central guide portion, withone frame portion horizontally disposed at vthe floor level and theother frame portion vertically disposed at a point spaced rearwardlyfrom the coal face, and with such intermediate guide frame portiondisposed in an inclined position symmetrically between the relativelyinclined frame portions. Still another object is to provide an improvedendless conveyor chain having a novel arrangement of the conveyorflights thereon. These and other objects and advantages of the inventionwill, however, hereinafter more fully appear in the course of theensuing description.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for purposes of illustrationone form which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a mine conveyor constructed in accordance withan illustrative en'n bodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side View of the elevated discharge end of theconveyor.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, showingdetails of the conveyor drive.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, a face conveyor isprovided which is especially designed for use at the coal face of anunderground coal mine, but it will be evident that the features of theinvention may be embodied in conveyors of other types `and may be usedfor other purposes.

The conveyor of the present invention is adapted to extendlongitudinally in parallelism with a coal face with the active run ofthe conveyor chain running close to the coal face horizontally near thelevel of the mine floor, so that coal which is dislodged from the facemay be received by the conveyor and moved along the face lengthwise ofthe conveyor to a suitable point of discharge, all in the manner fullydisclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 217,331, led March 24,1951.

The conveyor, as shown in the drawing, cornprises an elongated frame,generally designated l, resting upon and slidable on its plane bottom 2over the mine oor. The conveyor frame has a front longitudinal exposedreceiving portion 3 which is adapted to extend in parallelism with thecoal face and an elevated discharge end 4, and the conveyor is adaptedto be advanced toward the coal face as mining progresses in a directiontransverse to its length by suitable feed jack devices (not shown), alsoin the manner disiclosed in the above mentioned copending applicay1011.

The conveyor has a horizontal lateral bottom frame portion 5 and arearward vertical frame portion B, with the frame portions arranged inright angular relation, as shown in Fig. 3. The outer surfaces of theframe portions 5 and 6 lie in the sides of a right angle triangle andarranged intermediate the frame portions is an inclined guide frameportion 'I. This central guide frame portion is arranged in planes atright angles to a plane passing through the apex of the triangle andbisecting the frame and is located within the included projection of thetriangle, as shown in Fig, 3. The inclined guide portion 'I is disposedat 45 with respect to the bottom frame portion 5. This intermediateguide frame 'I provides guideways 8 in which an endless conveyor chain 9is guided for orbital oirculation, and attached to the chain areangularly disposed, lateral conveyor flights I6. These conveyor flightsare suitably secured to arms II disposed at substantial angles withrespect to the planes of the guideways and having bent portions I2suitably fastened at I3 at their inner ends integral with the top sidelinks of the chain. The active conveyor flights are arranged to movehorizontally along the top surface of the bottom frame portion 5 and theflights at the return run of the conveyor chain move in a verticalposition along the inner surface of the vertical rearward frame portion6. The conveyor frame has an end section i4 which is laterally flared atI5 and curves downwardly, and journaled on this intersection is a guidesprocket I6 about which the conveyor chain passes, and the flaredportion I5 permits the conveyor flights to move arcuately downwardlyfrom their vertical inactive position into horizontal active position.The conveyor frame also has at its opposite discharge end 4 an end framesection I1 provided with an elevated portion I8 so that the conveyorchain inclines upwardly to bring its active flights above the floorsurface into a position to eiect discharge of the material beingoonveyed. There may be embodied in the conveyor structure a conventionalmeans (not shown) for varying the tension of the conveyor chain.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a motor 20 is mounted on a horizontal support2l which rests on the mine oor and this motor has its power sh'aft '22horizontally disposed and extending transversely of the conveyor frame.Secured to the motor shaft is a bevel pinion 23 which meshes with abevel gear 24 fixed to an upwardly inclined shaft 25 suitably journaledin bearings supported within a gear housing 26. Secured to the shaft 25near its upper end is a spur pinion 21 which meshes with and drives aspur gear 28 secured to a parallel inclined shaft 29 likewise suitablyjournaled in bearings supported within the gear housing. Secured to theshaft 29 is a spur pinion 31 meshing with a spur gear 3I secured to aninclined shaft 32 arranged parallel with the shafts 25 and 29 andlikewise suitably journaled in bearings supported within the gearhousing. Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 32, eXteriorly of the gearhousing, is a chain sprocket 33 which engages and drives the conveyorchain 9. The conveyor frame of the end discharge section I5 is outwardlyand downwardly flared at 34 so that the conveyor flights as they passaround the drive sprocket 33 may move upwardly from their activehorizontal position to their inactive vertical position as shown, Byelevating the discharge end of the conveyor frame as shown in Fig, 2 aconventional cooperating conveyor may be located on the mine floorbeneath the elevated discharge end of the face conveyor to receive thematerial discharged therefrom, in a manner also disclosed in thecopending application above referred to.

It will be noted that as the conveyor chain travels about the guidesprocket I6 and the drive sprocket 33, the conveyor flights move inpaths lying in the surfaces of inverted cones whose inclined axes are inalignment with inclined axes of rotation of the sprockets, and theflared portions I5 and 34 of the conveyor frame permit such movement ofthe flights as the latter move arcuately between horizontal and verticalpositions.

The conveyor frame is desirably of a fabricated construction, eitherbolted or welded, and its main body is formed of a metal plate properlybent into shape to provide the right angle frame portions 5 and 6, andthe intermediate portion 36 of the body is secured as by screws 3l,engaging an outer plate 38, to the central guide frame portion 1. Theguide portion 'I has a rectangular boxlike body 39 and an upper plate 40is suitably secured to the top of the body 39 in a position wherein itoverlies the conveyor chain in a manner tending to keep out dirt fromthe chain guideways.

As a result of this invention, an improved endless mine conveyor isprovided which is relatively laterally compact. By the provision of theframe structure having longitudinal right angle portions, one of whichis horizontal and the other vertical, and by locating the intermediateguide frame for the conveyor chain at a 45 angle in the mannerdisclosed, the lateral flights of the active run of the conveyor maymove horizontally near the floor level in a position to receive andconvey the material to be loaded and the flights of the return run ofthe conveyor chain assume a vertical compact inactive position at therearward side of the frame. The particular frame structure and the novelarrangement of the chain guideways and the conveyor flights, enableextreme lateral compactness while elimination of all loose pivotalconnections of the nights with the chain, such as have been embodied inprevious devices, is effected. The conveyor is not only extremelylaterally compact but is also rugged and simple in design, well adaptedto meet the severe demands o service in a mine. Other advantages of theinvention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modied and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor frame adapted to restupon a floor surface and having rectangularly related, longitudinallyextending frame portions lying in the sides of a right dihedral anglewith their longitudinal axes in parallelism with the longitudinal medianline of said conveyor frame, one portion horizontally disposed at tbefloor level and the other vertically disposed, an inclined intermediateguide portion disposed symmetrically between said frame portions andarranged within the inclusion of the dihedral angle planes perpendicularto a line.,

of bisection passing through the edge of the dihedral angle, saidinclined guide portion providing guideways, and an endless conveyorchain guided for orbital circulation along said guideways and havingangularly disposed lateral nights secured at spaced points therealong,said nights as they travel along the active run of the chain movinghorizontally over and longitudinally along the top surface of saidhorizontal frame portion `close to the noor level, .and said nights atthe return run of the chain moving in a vertical position close to andlongitudinally along the inner surface of said vertical frame portion.

2. A conveyor of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein said lateralflights yare secured to arms disposed at substantial angles with respectto said planes of said intermediate guide portion and having bent endsattached to the upper links of said conveyor chain.

3. A conveyor of the character `set forth in claim l wherein saidconveyor frame at its discharge end has an elevated portion whereby saidconveyor chain moves upwardly to bring its active nights into adischarging position above the noor surface.

4. A conveyor comprising an elongated con*- veyor frame havinglongitudinally extending frame portions arranged in right angular relation with their longitudinal axes parallel with the major axis of theconveyor, with one frame portion horizontal and the other vertical, andan inclined intermediate guide frame portion arranged centrally andsymmetrically between said frame portions and which lies in planesdisposed I at equal angles with respect to the adjacent plane surfacesof said right angled frame portions, said guide frame portion providingguideways, and an endless conveyor guided for orbital circulation alongsaid guideways and having lateral nights disposed at substantial angleswith respect to the planes of said guide frame portion and which movelongitudinally along the inner surfaces of b-oth said horizontal andsaid vertical frame portions with the nights of the return run of thechain vertically disposed in laterally compact relation.

5. A conveyor of the character set forth in claim 4 wherein saidconveyor frame has an elevated discharge end along which the dischargeportion of said endless conveyor moves, and a motor for driving saidendless conveyor at said elevated discharge end and an upwardly inclinedshaft driven by said motor and to which a drive sprocket is secured,said sprocket drivingly engaging said endless conveyor.

6. A conveyor comprising an elongated horizontal frame having ahorizontal longitudinally extending frame portion disposed at the noorlevel and having a plane upper surface, and said conveyor frame alsoincluding an inclined guide portion extending longitudinally inparallelism` with the longitudinal center line of said frame portion,and lying in longitudinal planes disposed at with respect to saidhorizontal frame portion, said inclined guide portion providingguideways, and an endless conveyor chain guided for circulation in anorbital path along said guideways and having lateral nights which aremoved by the active run of said chain horizontally above andlongitrdinally along said upper surface of said horizontal frameportion, and said nights extending in upright positions as they aremoved along said guideway by the return run of said chain.

Lil-fl 7. A conveyor of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein saidactive nights which move horizontally are disposed at right angles tothe upright nights of the return run of said chain.

8. A conveyor of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein rotarysprockets are disposed at the opposite ends of said conveyor frame andabout which said endless chain passes, and said nights trace a pathlying in the surface of a cone as they travel about either of saidsprockets, with the axial center of each cone surface disposed incoincidence with the axis of rotation of the sprocket.

9. A conveyor adapted to rest on its own bottom directly on the noor ofa mine and having a frame including an inclined longitudinal guidehaving its longitudinal axis horizontally disposed and which intransverse section is disposed at 45 with respect to the supportingsurface for said conveyor and provides guide ways, an endless conveyorchain guided for orbital circulation along said guideways, guides at theopposite ends of said inclined guide for guiding said chain throughsubstantially semicircular paths, and vconveyor nights secured to saidconveyor chain at spaced points along its length, the nights of theactive run of said chain moving in a horizontal path close to said supporting surface and the nights of the return run of the chain extendingvertically at right angles to said horizontally moving nights, and saidnights tracing a path lying in the surface of a cone as they pass abouteither of said end-guides along said substantially semicircular path.

10. A conveyor of the character set forth in claim 9 wherein saidconveyor frame has narod end portions lying in said cone-surfaces andalong which said nights move as they trace said substantiallysemicircular paths.

1l. A mine conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor frame adapted torest on the noor of a mine and having frame portions arranged in rightangular relation with their longitudinal axes in parallelism with thelongitudinal median line of said conveyor frame, said frame portionsprovided with plane inner surfaces, one of said frame portions beinghorizontally disposed and resting on the mine noor and the other portionbeing vertically disposed and extending upwardly with respect to saidhorizontal portion, an inclined intermediate guide portion secured tosaid frame portions and disposed in planes at right angles to a linepassing through the edge of a dihedral angle within the sides of whichsaid frame portions lie and said line bisecting said conveyor frame,said guide portion providing a -guidewayand an endless conveyor chainguided for orbital circulation along said guideway and in transversesection having lateral conveyor nights disposed at angles of withrespect to said planes in which said intermediate guide portion lies andsaid nights movable along said plane inner surfaces of said frameportions in close adiacency thereto, the horizontal nights on the activerun of said chain moving over the upper plane surface of said horizontalframe portion close to the mine noor and the nights on the return ofsaid conveyor chain moving in upright position along the inner planesurface of said vertical frame portion.

l2. A mine conveyor as set forth in claim 1l wherein rotary guides areprovided at the opposite ends of said conveyor frame about which saidconveyor chain passes, and said conveyor frame having end frame portionsprovided with inner surfaces lying in the surfaces of cones whose axialcenters are in the same straight lines with the axes of said rotaryguides respectively, and said flights moving along such conical surfacesas said chain passes around said guides.

13. A mine conveyor as set forth in claim 12 wherein the lower portionof the conical surface of one of said end frame portions is recessed toprovide a bottom discharge opening beneath said conveyor at thedischarge end for the discharge of material from said conveyor.

14. A mine conveyor as set forth in claim 12 wherein said end frameportion at the discharge end of said conveyor is elevated above the minefloor to permit free gravity discharge of the material being conveyedfrom the conveyor, and said rotary guide at said elevated end disposedat a higher level than the rotary guide at the opposite end of saidframe, and said frame having upwardly inclined guide portions fordirecting the conveyor chain to and from said elevated rotary guide.

15. A converter adapted to rest on its own bottom directly on the floorof a mine and having a frame including an inclined longitudinal guidehaving its longitudinal axis horizontally disposed and which intransverse section is disposed at 45 with respect to the supportingsurface for said conveyor, said inclined guide providing guideways, anendless conveyor element guided for orbital circulation along saidguideways, guides at the opposite ends of said inclined guide forguiding said endless element through substantially semicircular paths,and conveyor flights projecting laterally from said conveyor element atspaced points along its length, the flights of the active run of saidconveyor element moving in a horizontal path over said supportingsurface and the flights of the return run of said conveyor elementextending vertically at right angles to said horizontally movingflights, and said flights tracing a path lying in the surface of a coneas they pass about either of said endguides along said substantiallysemicircular path.

16. An elongated mine conveyor adapted to rest on its own bottomdirectly on the floor of a mine and having a frame including a laterallyinclined, longitudinal guide disposed with respect to theframe-supporting surface at a substantial dihedral angle of which theedge extends longitudinally of the conveyor, said frame providingrelatively upper and lower guideways, an endless conveyor element guidedfor orbital circulation along said guideways and including active andreturn runs, and guides at the opposite ends of said inclined guide forguiding said conveyor element through substantially semicircular paths,said conveyor element having lateral conveyor flights projectingtherefrom at spaced points along its length, said lateral conveyorflights of the active and return runs having like but respectivelyopposite inclinations with respect to the lateral slope of saidlongitudinal guide, and the nights of the active run of said conveyorelement disposed substantially horizontally and the flights of thereturn run of said conveyor element extending upwardly, and said flightstracing a path lying in the surface of a cone as they pass about eitherof said end guides along said substantially semicircular paths.

17. A conveyor comprising an elongated frame having a horizontallongitudinally extending frame portion and having a plane upper surface,said conveyor frame also including a laterally upwardly inclined guideportion extending longitudinally of and making with said horizontalframe portion an obtuse dihedral angle of which the edge is parallel tothe median longitudinal line of said longitudinally extending frameportion, said inclined guide portion providing guide ways, and anendless conveyor chain guided for circulation in an orbital path alongsaid guideways and having lateral flights moved by the active run ofsaid chain horizontally along the upper surface of said horizontal frameportion and moved by the return run of said chain in positions in whichthey lie above and make an acute angle with a plane which bisects saidobtuse dihedral angle.

JOSEPH F. JOY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '733,418 Park July 14, 19031,293,132 Liggett Feb. 4, 1919 1,821,438 Levin Sept. 1, 1931 1,917,514Evans July l1, 1933 2,016,564 Voelkel Oct. 8, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 311,551 Great Britain May 16, 1929

